Wheel.



llE- E A. B. AMEN'I.

WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1907.

ANSON B. AMENT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNA.

WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented July '7, 1908.

Application filed August 26, 1907. Serial No. 390,191.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that 1, ANsoN B. AMENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Vheels; and l do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a'ppertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in wheels, and has for one of its objects' to provide a cheap and simple construction ol wheel adapted to automatically expand and contract and so accommodate itself to the contraction and expansion of the folly, and thereby obviate the necessity of subsequently shrinking the tire to maintain a tight rigid wheel.

A `further object is to provide a wheel which, while carrying out the above mentioned objects to a greater degree of success than through the use of other devices of this character now in vogue, will be simple and inexpensive in its construction, and eliminate all tire bolts.

In the accompanying' drawings,--Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a wheel constructed in accordance with theinvention, the spring for cooperating with other elements to automatically expand the felly longitudinally in its most contracted position; Fig. 2 is a similar view, the spring expanded; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 of Fig.- 1.

ln the embodiment illustrated the numeral 1 designates two adjacent `telly sections comprised in the rim of a wheel, the same having their ends arranged. a short distance apart. Two elongated members, 2, having longitudinally disposed openings 3 extending from their inner ends to within a suitable distance of their outer or opposite ends, at which ends they are provided with end walls, 4, adapted to abut against or engage the ends of the felly sections, are interposed between the ends of said sections. The outer ends of said elongated members 2 are also provided with outwardly extending'l ortions or anges, 5, having outwardly inc ined surfaces 6 to engage inwardly inclined surfaces 7 at the ends of the telly sections, whereby a secure engagement therebetween may be secured. The inner ends of said members are provided with overlapping flanges S and 9, respectively.

To cause the lelly to automatically expand or contract, according to the expansion or contraction of the same, l. arrange a coiled spring 1() oi su ['licient strength in the openings in said elongated members 2, which presses the closed ends ol" the members in engagement with the ends ol5 the f'elly sections and expands the lclly an amount correspomling with the longitudinal contraction ol" the lelly.

To hold the spring in its most contracted condition or position, while the tire is being positioned on the l'clly, l. provide the 'llange of one of said elongated members 2 with two alined transversely disposed openings or apertures 11, and the AIlange oi the other member with corresponding alined apertures 12 adapted for registration with the apertures 11 and insert a locking pin 13 through the apertures 11 and 1.2, which when in position, holds said members against longitudinal movement and consequently prevents expansion of the lelly in. securing the tire in position. Alter the tire has been set, the locking pin is withdrawn or removed to'permit the device to elongate commensurate to the longitudinal contraction of the folly.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ol construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacri'licing any ol'4 the advantages ol the invention, as delined in the appended claims. I

Having described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters- Patent is z 1. In a wheel, the combination with 'telly sections of two hollow elongated members having outer end walls and overlapping flanges at their inner ends interposed between the 'telly sections, and a siring arranged in said members 'for normally maintaining their outer ends in engagement with the ends of the 'lielly sections by self-'expansion.

2. ln a wheel the combination with lelly sections of two hollow elongated members interposed therebetween, said members having outer closed ends adapted to hold or engage the ends of .said sections and overlapping flanges at their inner ends, and a spring position.

a spring arranged in said members to spread or expand the same by self-expansion, with means for holding said members in the maXil5 mum contracted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witarranged in said members to expand the members automatically with means for holding said members in their most contracted 3. In a wheel, the combination with two adjacent felly sections of hollow elongated members interposed between the sections, nesses.

said members havin@ outer end walls and outwardly extendingbflanges extending from ANSON B AMENT the end Walls adapted to engage or embrace Witnesses:

WALTER EDWARD LOGAN, W. E. BARNARD.

the ends' of the felly sections and having overlapping flanges at thelr inner ends, and 

